Goals for 2012

I am in a lot of pain, which makes me angry. Unfortunately, I can't get angry at anyone because I'm sleep deprived due to the amount of pain I had been in last night that kept me up until 5 in the morning and woke me every hour after that. *sigh*
So I realized this morning that I never really elaborated on the things I wanted tp accomplish this year. I did mention my spirituality, once, and then forgot to mention the rest. So here it goes...

1. Get in touch with spirituality: This is something that I have been meaning to do for quite some time. It's been hard, being pregnant, homeschooling 3 kids in different levels at the same time, and all the stresses we've endured in the past 2 years, but I think I can get the hang of this if I focus. This entails my daily spiritual training (which I won't be able to get back into until I get my books and supplies out of storage), weekly devotionals (sort of like praise and worship at Church, except, you know, not about Jesus), monthly moon rituals (full moons, specifically), and remembering to celebrate *all* 8 major Sabats in my religion (even if it's just a little prayer and a tiny candle).
2. Succeed with business: As you already know, I'm a Pure Romance consultant (http://yvonneames.pureromance.com) but have been doing a crappy job at it since I started back in July. I can only blame myself for this, but for justifiable reasons. Trying to figure out where the life of your family is headed as well as trying to not feel so much like the plague from pregnancy can really damper your spirits and effect the way you run a business. So far, the month of January is looking spectacular. I am very excited. My dad sent some Christmas money that I have been using to get a few things to really get my business off the ground, that and last night's product launch had me super jazzed that I ended up booking 3 parties shortly afterwards.
3. Pay off debts: If I can be serious about my business, I'm hoping to make enough money this year to pay off as much of my debts as I possibly can. I still owe money to the trash company I used back in Iowa. *facepalm* Along with medical bills I was unable to pay in Nebraska, I owe my school 2k from my failed courses, and have to pay back VA an extra $640 for dropping out of school early. I'm sure I owe somebody else money, but right now can't think of anyone else. With this accomplished I'll be able to open new doors that will help my family, like, you know, not being homeless and worrying where we're going to be living in the next month.
4. Go back to school: until I pay what I owe, I can't get back into school. So paying off the debt is the first thing I have to do before I can accomplish this goal. I *really* do want to finish my degree (I have 2 years under my belt, so I'd be done with my BA in History and English in no time) and think it would be beneficial for me in teaching my children.
5. Daily journal entries: If you haven't already noticed, I've tried to write every day since the new year started. This is something that I've wanted to do for quite some time and hope to continue in the future. With all that is going on, I want to document as much as I can. This is also a great stress-reliever for me. When I write about my problems, they don't seem as large as they do in my head. I can really get things into perspective if I set it all down on (figuratively) paper first, and analyze it from a different point of view. If I vent on a daily basis, maybe I can stop being such an ass sometimes and really think about how ridiculous some of my problems are so I can stop making such a big deal out of them
6. Lose 20 lbs: This is last on the list for the obvious reason that I am still pregnant. After the pregnancy, I'll be placed on minimal activity for two months so that I can heal from my cesearean. I'll pretty much still be out of comission well into April. However, I don't ever want to get as big as I did ever again. I felt like crap every day because I was so out of shape. My health was just shit. Currently, at 8.5 months pregnant, I am 147 lbs. Exactly one year ago, at not pregnant at all, I was at 147 lbs! So yes, during this pregnancy I have "lost" weight. This had a lot to do with the fact that I take careful note of what I eat, more now because I have gestational diabetes this time around. I hope to continue to eat right as well as get back to going to the gym three times a week. Last year, for the first six months of 2011, I was training hard to join the military. I had lost very little weight then, but had gained muscle and a lot of stamina. I felt GREAT and I miss it. If I hadn't been put on bed rest and didn't hurt so goddamn much, I probably would have kept at it. For now though, I'll stick to walking with Dorian and the girls on a regular basis, and come April, challenge the husband at some athletic feat that will take some training to do. (He wants to get in shape to; it works out since he graduates in March.)

So, as you can see, not a lot of things planned for 2012, but they will take the whole year to accomplish. It's a nice list of long-term goals that I hope to start on the right track this year as well as continue them for the following years. They are practical and things that I believe will benefit my life. Along with these reasonable goals, I have my ridiculous ones as well. Two come to mind: A. see how long I can grow my hair out before I get fed up and cut it, and B. see how long I can grow my nails before caving and chewing them off. I know it sounds silly, but I like to do these. In 2006 I decided to see how long I could last without dying my hair. Six years later, and this is still my natural color, greys (they're sparkles!) and all.